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Cop arrested for DWI. BAC was three times the legal limit. Turns out, it’s his fourth DWI in the last 12 months. The first two charges were dropped by county prosecutors. One of those was dropped when the arresting officer conveniently failed to show up for a court hearing. The third apparently resulted in some sort of conviction, but the cop was back in his patrol car within months.

This entry was posted
on Thursday, December 18th, 2008 at 1:27 pm by Radley Balko
and is filed under Police Professionalism.
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In all fairness to the cop (not that a four-time drunk driver deserves it), there are plenty of people out there who don’t make a lot of money but drive fancy cars. It’s called priorities–or lack thereof.

Yup. I know at least two people here in SoCal who still live with their parents (they are mid to late 20s), but one drives an ’08 BMW 3-series and the other has an ’08 Lexus is350. I harass them at every opportunity.

That aside, I find it amazing that one police department can so consistently make the news with their fucked-up antics. You might need a new category specifically for Prince George’s County, Radley.

“Police Chief Roberto Hylton said that police officials take Parrish’s conduct seriously and that internal investigations are continuing.”

Is the “we take this seriously” statement mandatory when cops do wrong? They never say that when investigating a rape, robbery, or murder. Do they not take them seriously?

The article contains a spewing of help being offered to the ass wipe cop, because his mommy died, and his (probably spousal abused) wife left him (poor guy). I have never heard a cop crying for a civilian DWI suspect, because his wife left him.

This is my favorite part “If the internal investigations into the four incidents find no wrongdoing, Parrish would still have to be cleared by a departmental medical board before he could return to duty.”.
I guess what happens in his two upcoming trials will have no bearing what so ever. What are they going to be investigating internally? He has already been arrested 4 TIMES over a legal limit of alcohol while driving in less then 1 year. Is it even possible that any non-ass wipe would be free from a 4 wall barred door hotel?

This guy was suspended WITH PAY in february for driving drunk in a PATROL CAR while off duty. Those charges were dropped after the arresting officer ‘conveniently’ didn’t get the mail notification to appear in court.

Go ahead! Get busted DRIVING DRUNK in a COMPANY CAR… much less a Police Cruiser… and see what happens to YOU.

Next!

“On July 27, also in Laurel, Parrish was charged with driving under the influence, driving with a suspended license, reckless driving and other traffic offenses.”

Wait! When did his license get suspended? He wasn’t convicted in the first one… Also, I assume at this point, that he’s STILL on PAID LEAVE. All charges but the driving with a suspended license were dropped by a PLEA BARGAIN. What possible Plea Bargain? Here’s what I think happened:

Police Union: “Let him off with the lightest possible sentence, and we’ll see about getting you reelected.”

Prosecutor: “Ok!”

Next!

“On Sept. 9, also in Laurel, Parrish was charged with driving under the influence and failing to stop after a motor vehicle accident. That case is scheduled to go to trial in February.”

Wait… “.. failing to stop..” The guy was in a HIT AND RUN? And he’s STILL on the force?

Then the most recent one, where he passed out at a gas station at 2:30 in the afternoon with a blood alcohol level of .29 … apparently he’d been drinking vodka all day. “A half pint” according to him. …right….

“Parrish is assigned to the 6th District in Beltsville. If the internal investigations into the four incidents find no wrongdoing, Parrish would still have to be cleared by a departmental medical board before he could return to duty.”

I hope Cheye Calvo’s lawyer can use this case as evidence against PG county.

The county can make all sorts of arguments about how there was no wrong doing in the Calvo case, procedures were followed etc, and that they should be entitled to a presumption that the internal investigation is sufficient.

However, Calvo can say that the county can’t even properly investigate and police a cop with FOUR DUI’s in a year, including a hit and run. i.e., we should not give PG county any deference.
Unlike discussion of “procedures,” fourth amendment rights etc, a jury would have NO problems understanding that four DUIs is a clear double standard.

I would have liked to have seen a quote from MADD in the article. Something that would be nice to refer back to next year when they give him an award for “outstanding service” or something like that for pulling over lots of drunk drivers (since when he gets back on the force, which he inevitably will, he will know how all the drunk drivers do it).
Plus, I highly doubt his drinking was caused by the breakup of his marriage. It is usually the other way around.

Cynical,
For me, it’s the “driving” part that is the problem. Though a BAC test is not necessarily an indicator of drunkenness and I’d want to see proof, say an in car video, of reckless driving before I’d even think of convicting. But then, what we should have is a reckless driving charge instead of the meaningless DUI.

By meaningless, I mean a charge that doesn’t really say you were a danger to anyone.

The real crimes are the blatant lie the States Attorney told when he said< “There has been no special treatment because he is a police officer” and ofcourse no special treatment from within saying that the notice for court was sent on saturday for a monday court date… riiiiiggghhhht….

Aside to Jason: I imagine that most of the negative comment karma you’re getting is the result of you including the link to your blog in every comment. Protip: that’s spamming. Your name is already a link, man. The best way to get people to your site is to make insightful comments so that they’re interested in hearing more from you. Dropping throwaway one-liners with a link to your place at the bottom just turns people off.